Lubricating system for internal combustion engines



E. c. PIPER 1,825,889

LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 29, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l Get. 6, 1931.

E. c. PIPER LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May29, 1-929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g'wue'n'tor Earle lpljoei 31% Patented Get.6, 193K EARLE C. PIPER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE LUBRETORCOMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO LUBRICATING SYSTEM FORINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed May 29, 1929.

This invention relates to an auxiliary lubricating system designed foruse in connection with internal combustion engines and by means of whicha limited supply of a lubricant may be delivered to the explosionchambers of an engine so as to effect what is known as upper cylinderlubrication.

In accordance with the present invention an auxiliary lubricating systemis provided consisting of a lubricant reservoir located extraneously ofthe engine with which the system is connected, there being a conduitleading from said reservoir to an automatic regulator mounted inconnection with the fuel intake conduit of said engine. The constructionof the regulator being such as to admit automatically of the flow of thelubricant from said reservoir and into the fuel inlet conduit and thenceto the explosion chambers of the engine in accordance with the actualoperating requirements of the engine, advantage being taken of thefluctuating vacuum or suction within the intake conduit to control theaction of the regulator to effect the introduction of the auxiliarylubricant into said engine in desired quantities.

Among the objects of the invention are: The provision of a normallysealed lubricant container or reservoir in which the supply so of theauxiliary lubricant is received, and whereby through the constructionand mounting of the container a definite grade of lubricant may beassured in the operation of thesystem; in constructing the regulator soas to provide a sensitive yet positive valve means therein which isresponsive directly to the suction in the fuel inlet conduit so thatwhen the associated engine is moving under a full load and is receivingits maximum fuel supply by reason of the throttle being Wide open and amoderate vacuum produced in said conduit, the valve means of theregulator will be opened to its fullest extent so as to allow for themaximum inflow of the lubricant into said conduit, but whereby upon theclosing of the throttle more or less, as when the engine is running idleor under a light load, and the vacuum in the conduit increased, saidvalve means will respond to 1no1re completely obstruct the flow of thelu- Serial No. 367,068.

bricant to said conduit, and whereby when the operation of the engine isarrested altogether, said valve means will assume a position completelyarresting lubricant flow into said conduit, the operation of theregulator being such as to provide for the automatic operation of thesystem after installation and to require no further manual attentionother than maintaining a desired quantity of the lubricant in theremovable container or reservolr. v

1 am aware of the fact that systems of this kind have been proposedheretofore and hence it is a further object of the present invention toprovide a system of this kind of (5 improved and simplifiedconstruction, of more positive operation and of more economicalconstruction than any other system of this type of which I am now aware.

For a further understanding of theinvention reference is to be had tothe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine disclosingthe application of the auxiliarylubricating system comprising thepresent invention thereto,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view disclosing more particularly theconstruction of the lubricant receiving container and mounting used inconnection with the system,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the structure disclosed in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation disclosing the mounting in an openposition ermit ting of the substitution or removal 0 the lubricantcontainer,

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure2, V

Figure 7 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view taken throughthe. automatic regiulator employed by the present invention, an

Figure 8 is-a horizontal sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1designates generally an internal combustion engine of, 100

with motor vehicles.

for example, the type employed in connection The engine is provlded withthe usual fuel inlet conduit or intake manifold 2 to which is connectedany stand-;

ard type of carburetter 3. The conduit 2 is provided with the usualthrottle valve 4 for controlling the inflow of the carburetted fuel intothe explosion chambers of the engine cylinders.

The purpose of the present invention, as above stated, is to provide asystem, operated independently of the usual oiling mechanism of theengine, for introducing an auxiliary supply of a lubricant into theexplosion chambers of the engine for effecting lubrication of thisordinarily neglected part of the engine. The advantagesof propercylinder lubrication are thoroughly well understood at this time andtherefore need not beelaborated upon at'this time, but in general suchlubrication provides for a more smoothly operating engine, reducingfriction between pistons and cylinder walls, the proper seating andcontrol movement of the inlet and exhaust valves and the elimination ofhardened carbon deposit on the cylinder walls, valve seats, valves andother surfaces in and communicating with the explosion chambers. It willbe observed that this system is auxiliary to the main circulation of oilthrough the engine and its purpose is to provide for adequatelubrication of parts which can not be lubricated by the usual oilpumping means of an explosive engine.

Therefore, the system comprises broadly an oil container 5 preferablymounted at an elevated position with respect to the engine and, forconvenience in connection with the foot board or cowl costruction 6 of amotor vehicle. Leading from the bottom of the container 5 is a conduit7, preferably of copper tubing, which has its lower end connected withan automatic regulator 8, which has been shown in detail in Figure 7,and is connected with the intake conduit 2 so that the lubricant drawnfrom the container 5 will be discharged into the fuel mixture passingthrough the conduit 2 and thence delivered to the engine cylinders.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the specificconstruction of the regulator 8 which is so formed as to admit theauxiliary lubricant into the engine in proportion to the real demand ofthe latter,'that is, a greater supply when the engine is operating underapproximately full load conditions, and a diminished supply when theengine is running idly or under a comparatively light load. In securingthis end the regulator is formed to include a metallic casing 9 in whichis provided a vertically disposed longitudinally extending chamber 10.The bottom of this chamber is threaded and closed by means of a plug orcap 11 having an axially disposed vent opening 12. The oppomasses siteend of the chamber is threaded for the reception of a plug 13, whichincludes an upstanding threaded nipple 14 adapted to constitute a seatfor'the reception of the lower end of the conduit 7. A threaded nut 15is carried by the nipple 14 and engages with the reversely inclined head16 fixed upon the lower end of the conduit 7 for the purpose of securelyretaining said conduit and nipple in secured relationship, preventingloss of the lubricant and avoiding the necessity of a flexible packing.v

The plug 13 is provided with a longitudinal bore 17 threaded at itslower end for the reception of a sleeve 18. The bore of this sleeve isprovided at a part midway of its length with a valve seat 19 upon whichthere normally rests a ball valve 20 operating by gravity. The sleeve 18carries a transverse pin 21 above the valve 20 so as to confine themovements of the latter between said in and the seat 19. Normally whenthe engine is not running the valve 20 occupies its seated position andprevents the flow of the lubricant from the container 5 into the chamber10.

Slidably mounted in the bottom of the chamber 10 is a piston 22, whichis internally chambered as at 23 for the reception of the body 24 of aneedle valve 25. The top of the chamber 23 is threaded for the receptionof a guide bushing 26, and a coil sprin 27 is situated between the body24-and the bot-.

tom of the piston 22 so as to normally maintain the needle valve in aresiliently extended position. terminates in a conoidal tip 28 which issituated in registration with the bore in the sleeve 18, whereby whenthe piston 22 responds to vacuum or suction conditions within theconduit 2 and moves upwardly in the chamber 23, the tip 28 of the needlevalve will engage with the ball valve and move the latter from its seatallowing under normal conditions of engine operation, the lubricant toflow past the valve and into the chamber 10. Further upward movement ofthe piston results in causing the stem of the needle valve to completelyoccupy and fill the lower part of the sleeve 18, with the result ofobstructing further oil flow into the casing 9 or chamber 10. It will beobserved that the regulator provides for the arresting of the oil flowunder two conditions, one, when the engine is idle and no suction iscreated and two, when the engine is throttled and an extreme vacuum isproduced in the conduit 2. Any intermediate condition between these twoextremes permits of a graduated quantity of the lubricant to flow intothe chamber 10 and thence into the conduit 2 by way of the bores 29provided in the horizontally extending fittings 30 connected with theside of the casin 9. It will be observed that the outer fittmg 30 isthreaded as at 31 into the The top of the needle valve wall of the fuelintake manifold and projects some distance into said manifold so as tobe spaced from the walls thereof. This construction makes for animproved release of the oil globules from the fittings 30 and theeflicient entrainment thereof with the fuel gases. Preferably, a spring32 is interposed between the lower part of the nipple 14 and the upperpart of the piston 22 and tends to maintain the piston in the lower partof the chamber 10.

As before stated, when an engine is moving under a full load and isreceiving its maximum fuel supply by reason of the throttle valve 4being substantially wide open only a moderate vacuum is produced in theintake manifold or conduit of the engine, inasmuch as the suction of thepiston of the engine at this time will draw the fuel freely through theintake into the cylinders preparatory to firing the same. Thus underthese conditions of moderate vacuum the needle valve has its conoidaltip 28 engaging with the ball valve 20 so as to elevate the latter fromits seat 19, but the needle valve is not extended into the bore 17 ofthe sleeve 18 to an extent sufficient to completely obstruct the flow ofthe oil. This condition occurs to a wide range of engine operation andas the vacuum increases or decreases corresponding adjustment is made inthe position of the needle valve to regulate the oil flow. However, uponclosing the throttle valve 4 more or less when the engine is runningidle or under a light load the admission of fuel into the intake is cutoff or reduced accordingly, thereby increasing the vacuum within theintake conduit by reason of the reciprocation of the pistons in thecylinders. Since the engine is operating more slowly under this lattercondition and therefore the demand for the oil is accordingly lessened,the increased suction results in raising the piston 22 to such an extentthat the diameter of the stem of the needle valve 25 completely fillsthe lower portion of the bore 17 and cuts ofi the flow of the auxiliarylubricant substantially completely if necessary. Thus the inventionprovides a very positively acting automatic regulator of extremelysimple yet sensitive construction which assures the introduction of thecorrect amount of the auxiliary lubricant into the engine cylinders,While I am aware of the fact that this broad principle of operation hasbeen roposed in other prior systems yet to the est of my knowledge theprior art does not contain as corresponding constructional advantages.

Another very important feature of the present invention resides in theconstruction of the container 5 and the manner of mounting the same. Themounting for the container is designated generally by the numeral 33,and consists of a base member 34 which is connected as at 35 with avertically extending strap 36, the latter being bolted or otherwisesecured as at 37 to the foot board 6. The base member is provided with awell 38 in which is received the neck 39 of the container 5 when thelatter is inverted and applied to the mounting for use. The neck 39includes a penetrable cap 40 which normally seals the contents of thecontainer and provides a method of identifying the lubricant used. Thisis a very important feature in the use of the system since it has beenfound by experiment that the system operates to the best advantage withcertain grades of oils but not with others and therefore it is to theadvantage of the user to be sure of obtaining the grade of lubricantrecommended by the manufacturer for use in the system.

The base member 34 is provided with an upstanding threaded prong 41whereby when the container is applied to the system so that the neckthereof rests upon the annular gasket 42 surrounding the perimeter ofthe well 38, the cap 40 will be penetrated by the prong 41, whichresults in producing an opening in said cap through which the oil mayfiow slowly from the container and into the bottom of the well 38,filling the latter with the lubricant up to the level indicated at 43,at which point further rise of the oil is prevented by air pressure andthe vacuum produced in the container or bottle. The well is providedwith a vent tube 44 which preferably terminates in a downturned portionto prevent clogging. As the oil is drawn out from the bottom of the welland the level lowered additional oil is withdrawn from the container andair allowed to enter the interior of the latter until the level isrestored in said well.

To hold the container in its applied position the top of the strap 36has pivoted thereto the arm of a pressure plate 45. This plate isprovided centrally wit-h an car 46 to which is pivoted a locking lever47. The shorter leg of this lever is notched as at 48 for engagementwith the upper edge of a bail 49, the latter being pivotally mounted asat 50 in connection with the lower part of the base member 34. It willbe seen that by swinging the lever 47 to the position shown in Figure 2the bail 49 will be placed under tension so as to hold the plate 45 inclose frictional relationship with the upper end of the bottle orcontainer 5. Since the shorter leg of the lever 47 is swung ofi'-centerit will be seen that the lever 47 will be locked in this position. Thus,through the mere actuation of the lever 47 the container 5 may beapplied to or removed from the mounting with very considerable ease andconvenience. In past systems of this kind the container has been formedfrom metal and permanently mounted in connection with the vehicle. Thismethod has the disadvantage of permitting of the use of any grade of alubricant in the system without reference to the quality andcharacteristics of the regulator.

What is claimed is:

1. In an auxiliary lubricating system for internal combustion engines, asupport formed to include a lubricant receiving well, an invertedlubricant containing bottle having the neck portion thereof positionedwithin said well and spaced from the bottom I thereof, a penetrable capclosing the neck of said bottle, means in the bottom of said well forpenetrating said cap and establishin communication between the interiorof sai bottle and said well, clamping means for removably holding thebottle in connection with said support, and a conduit leading from thebottom of said well to the fuel intake passageway of an associatedengine.

2. In'an auxiliary lubricating system for internal combustion engines, afixed support formed to include a well, a bottle carried by said supportin inverted order with the nec of said bottle positioned within saidwell and spaced from the bottom thereof, a gasket between saidsupporting member and the neck of said bottle, clamping means carried bysaid support for removably holding said bottle in a firmly seatedposition upon said gasket, the neck of said bottle being closed normallyby a penetrable cap, a pointed member stationarily positioned in thebottom of said well and adapted to penetrate said cap when said bottleis operatively seated upon said gasket, said member serving to producean opening in said cap and to establish lubricant fiow from said bottleinto said well and to maintain a substantially constant oil level insaid well, and a conduit leading from said well to the fuel intakepassageway of an associated engine.

3. In an auxiliary lubricating system for internal combustion engines, asupport including a reservoir, a lubricant receiving bottle having theneck portion thereof positi oned within said reservoir and spaced fromthe bottom of the latter and operative to maintain a substantiallyconstant fluid level within said reservoir, a clamping plate pivoted tosaid support and arranged to engage the upper part of said bottle whenthe latter is in an applied position, a swinging bail carried by saidsupport, and a clamping lever pivotally carried by said plate and coanda clamping lever pivotally carried by said plate and cooperative withsaid bail to hold said bottle by compression in its applied position.

5. A device of the character set forth com: prising a support formed toinclude a fluid receiving well, an inverted fluid containing bottlehaving a neck portion thereof positioned within said well and spacedfrom the bottom thereof, a penetrable cap closing the neck of saidbottle, means in the bottom of said well for penetrating said cap andestablishing communication between the interior of said bottle and saidwell, clamping means forremovably holding a bottle in connection withsaid support, and a conduit leading from the bottom of said well.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EAR-LE C. PIPER.

